Improvement in iron fence-posts



s.. B. PERKINS. IRON FENCE-POSTS.

No. 195,229. Patented Sept.18,f1877.'

msu I i M UNITED STATEs OFFICE.

JOHN. B. PERKINS, OF DASVE'NPORT, IOWA.

IMPROVEMENT Y l-N IRON FENCE-POSTS.

Specification forming part of- Letters Patent No. 195,229, dated September 18, 1877 ;v application filed August 10, 1877.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN B. PERKINS, of Davenport. in the county of Scott and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Iron Fence-Posts5 and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specication.

My invention relates to an improvement in iron fence-posts, designed more especially for use in connection with wire fences, but applicable in the construction of fences with wooden boards or panels.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is an elevation of a fence-post embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the base.

A is a piece of gas-pipe, or other suitable metallic tubing, of proper dimension,sufticient to give the requisite strength and stability. It is provided at its bottom with a base, B. This base is provided with an enlarged circular, oval, or polygonal head, of any desired size and shape, sufcient to give a firm bearing in or on the ground when the post has been driven into position. This post is also provided with wings B2, tapering from the top to the lower end, where they come together in a point. These wings serve to prevent the post from being twisted out of position, and give a rm bearing in all directions against any lateral push or strain. They also serve to strengthen the base, and to leave it with their projecting edges, which will not displace much earth as the post is being driven, and, therefore, facilitate the driving of the post. Of course the number of these projecting wings is immaterial. Three are shown in the drawing as forming a very efficient structure. The pipe or tube A may be secured in any desired way with the base B-as, for instance, the base may be cast round the tube or pipe, or the pipe may be tapped into the base, or it may be keyed to the base, or it may be united with an ordinary lead connection.

The pipe A may or may not be provided at its top with a cap or driving-head, O. I prefer to employ such a head, as it forms a firm resistance to the strokes of the sledge in driving the post. This cap or head may be made stationary for each post, or form a part of the post, and secured thereto in any desired manner, or it may be made removable, so as to use but one cap successively in driving a series of posts. I prefer, however, that each post be provided with such a cap, to serve at the same time to finish the top end of the post. The tube A has holes at suitable intervals for the passage of wire-holders D. These Wireholders may be simply clips of metal, notched at D1 to receive the Wire, and held in position within the post by taking a twist upon the projecting end D2, or other suitable Wire fasteners may be employed, as, for instance, the wire may be passed directly through the post itself, and the separate fasteners D be dispensed with. When the fastener D is employed the Wire may be clamped snugly-at the post by driving the point D3 down against the post and wire, so as to bind the wire.

E at the bottom shows how a board may be fastened along 'the bottom of the fence adjacent to the ground, if desired. The facilities afforded by this construction for securing the wires at the post enable me to make a wire fence which may be selfsustaining and independent as to tightness at each panel. When it is desired to make a corner-piece, two or more of these posts may be placed side by side, or in the form of a triangle or rectangle, 825e., and united by suitable braces.

This device is used substantially as follows: The cap C being in place upon the top of the post, it is brought-over the proper' locality, and While it is held verticallyit is driven into the ground until the horizontal flanges or plates of the base B rest fully upon the ground, or, if desired, just below the surface.

The wires from the next preceding post are then brought into proper position, and fastened in the notches D1 of the clips D, or, if desired, the posts may all be set at the start, and the Wire be stretched through the Whole length, and then caught along the different posts, and fastened.

The cap C will prevent water from passing down within the post and obstructing or damaging the clips or wire fasteners D. A post of this character is stiffer and lighter than a solid Wrought-iron post.

I may make the post of the form in crosssection as shown in the separate view adjacent to Fig. 1, or of any other form. The form shown in this separate View is well adaptedfor resisting any lateral strain.

What I claim isy l. rPhe combination, with a metallic post, of Wire fasteners D, passed through the post, substantially as andfor the purposes described.

2. In a fence-post, the metallic wire fasten-v. ers D, provided with notches Dand points JOHN B. PERKINS. `/Vitnesses:

C. P. ELDBIDGE, J. J. HORSLEY. 

